Wireless remote printing system and method

ABSTRACT

The remote printing system allows one user to ultimately send a hard copy to another via a portable digital device such as a cellular phone. Upon receiving an e-mail print notice, the portable digital device wirelessly searches an appropriate print station in the vicinity by broadcasting a signal. In response to the broadcasted search signal, the print stations each send information on their printer characteristics such as availability status and print resolution to the portable digital device, a print server or a client that originated the print request. The recipient of the printer characteristic information selects an appropriate print station based upon a predetermined selection rule.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The current invention is generally related to printing at a convenientlocation, and more particularly related to a system for and method ofprinting information at a conveniently located printer station that isselected in a predetermined area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the recent past, portable digital devices such as personal digitalassistants (PDA) have been widely used. To send some information to auser of the portable digital device, unlike a fax machine, theinformation is directly transmitted to the portable digital device forlocally storing before printing it with a local printer. The user havingthe received information must first find a local printer. Furthermore,for some certain formatted information, the user must run an applicationprogram on the portable digital device in order to print the receivedinformation.

Japanese Patent Publication Hei 10-191453 discloses a personal handyphone system (PHS)-based method of locally printing information that hasbeen originally inputted through a portable digital assistant (PDA). Thedisclosure is limited to the information that was inputted only by thePDA. To print the information, the location of the PDA is transmitted toa PHS service center via a PHS base station, and the nearest printstation is determined based upon the PDA location. The information to beprinted is transmitted to a selected nearest print station eitherthrough the service center or directly from the PDA. Hei 10-191453 alsodiscloses the use of a password to identify a bona fide user as well asa fee to be charged to a user for the local printing at predeterminedlocations such as a convenient store. Furthermore, the prior artreference discloses certain location-dependent parameters for the printstations, and the parameters include the printing fee amount and hoursof operation.

Japanese Patent Publication Hei 8-137776 discloses an infra-red (IR)based transmission method of locally printing information as specifiedby a token stored in a portable digital device. IR is limited to asubstantially single direction as well as a transmission distance andcapacity. A predetermined number of computers, printers and otherperipheral devices is placed at predetermined locations of rooms in abuilding and is networked by a conventional cable. At least one IRreceiver/transmitter is placed in each of the rooms and is shared amongthe computers, the printers and other peripheral devices in the sameroom via the network. Thus, when a user moves from one room to another,the portable digital device communicates to a corresponding one of theprinters in the room via the IR receiver/transmitter for local printing.The disclosure is unclear as to where computation or processing takesplace for the tasks that have been initiated during the communication.

Japanese Patent Publication Hei 11-191081 discloses a transmissionmethod of printing information stored in a network by specifying a taskand a file identifier from a portable digital device. The portabledigital device transmits the above file and task specification to a hostsystem that is connected to a host of devices such as a printer, a faxmachine and a workstation. Upon receiving the file and taskspecification, the host system in turn processes the tasks on the file.One of the tasks is to print a specified file at a specified printer.The host system and the portable digital device are designed to handledata in multimedia including audio, video, graphics and hand-writteninformation. The prior art disclosure limits the above describedcommunication to only between the portable digital device and the hostsystem.

The above described prior art systems do not allow direct communicationbetween the portable digital device and the peripheral devices such as aprinter prior to printing information. Although it makes sense to storethe information to be printed at any location, it is desired that thecommunication between a print station and a portable digital deviceshould be direct.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the above and other problems, according to a firstaspect of the current invention, a method of printing information at aconvenient location, including: providing a plurality of print stationsin a predetermined area, the print stations being networked to a printserver which stores information; sending a first wireless signal from aportable digital device directly to the print stations in thepredetermined area; determining at least a positional relation betweenthe portable digital device and each of the print stations based uponthe first wireless signal; selecting at least one of the print stationsbased upon the positional relation; receiving the information at theselected print station; and printing the information at the selectedprint station.

According to a second aspect of the current invention, a system forprinting information at a convenient location, including: a print serverstoring information to be printed; a plurality of print stationsconnected to the print server in a predetermined area; and a portabledigital device sending a first wireless signal directly to each of theprint stations in the predetermined area; wherein the print serverdetermining at least a positional relation between the portable digitaldevice and each of the print stations based upon the first wirelesssignal, the system selecting at least one of the print stations basedupon the positional relation, the selected print station receiving theinformation from the print server, and the selected print stationprinting the received information.

According to a third aspect of the current invention, a system forprinting information at a convenient location, including: a print serverstoring information to be printed; a portable digital device having awireless communication unit for sending a first wireless non-directionalsignal in the predetermined area; and a plurality of print stations eachhaving a wireless communication unit for wirelessly communicatingdirectly with the portable digital device in a predetermined area, theprint stations being networked with the print server; wherein the printserver determining at least a positional relation between the portabledigital device and each of the print stations based upon the firstwireless non-directional signal, the print server selecting one of theprint stations that is the closest to the portable digital device basedupon the positional relation, the selected print station sending aselected print station signal to the print server, in response to theselected print station signal, the selected print station receiving theinformation from the print server, and the selected print stationprinting the received information.

These and various other advantages and features of novelty whichcharacterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in theclaims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a betterunderstanding of the invention, its advantages, and the objects obtainedby its use, reference should be made to the drawings which form afurther part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, inwhich there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating one preferred embodiment of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a first stage of the preferredembodiment of the remote printing system according to the currentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a second stage of the preferredembodiment of the remote printing system according to the currentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a third stage of the preferredembodiment of the remote printing system according to the currentinvention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a fourth stage of the preferredembodiment of the remote printing system according to the currentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a fifth and final stage of thepreferred embodiment of the remote printing system according to thecurrent invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary e-mail notice to thecarrier of the portable digital device.

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram illustrating a sequence of certain stepsbetween the print station and the portable digital device in the abovepreferred process of remotely printing a document according to thecurrent invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating components of one preferred embodimentof the print server in the remote print system according to the currentinvention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating components of one preferred embodimentof the portable digital device in the remote print system according tothe current invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating components of one preferred embodimentof the print station in the remote print system according to the currentinvention.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating acts performed in the print serverin a preferred process of remote printing according to the currentinvention.

FIG. 13 is a flow chart illustrating acts performed in the portabledigital device in a preferred process of remote printing according tothe current invention.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating acts performed in the print stationin a preferred process of remote printing according to the currentinvention.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are diagrams illustrating components and theirsequential interactions in a second preferred embodiment of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

FIGS. 16A and 16B are diagrams illustrating components and theirsequential interactions in a third preferred embodiment of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

FIGS. 17A and 17B are diagrams illustrating components and theirsequential interactions in a fourth preferred embodiment of the remoteprint system according to the current invention.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart illustrating common acts performed by the abovedescribed second, third and fourth preferred embodiments of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

FIGS. 19A and 19B are diagrams illustrating components and theirsequential interactions in a fifth preferred embodiment of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

FIGS. 20A and 20B are diagrams illustrating components and theirsequential interactions in a sixth preferred embodiment of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

FIGS. 21A and 21B are diagrams illustrating components and theirsequential interactions in a seventh preferred embodiment of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

FIG. 22 is a flow chart illustrating common acts performed by the abovedescribed fifth, sixth and seventh preferred embodiments of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

FIGS. 23A and 23B are diagrams illustrating components and theirsequential interactions in an eighth preferred embodiment of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

FIGS. 24A and 24B are diagrams illustrating components and theirsequential interactions in a ninth preferred embodiment of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

FIGS. 25A and 25B are diagrams illustrating components and theirsequential interactions in a tenth preferred embodiment of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

FIG. 26 is a flow chart illustrating common acts performed by the abovedescribed eighth, ninth and tenth preferred embodiments of the remoteprinting system according to the current invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designatecorresponding structures throughout the views, and referring inparticular to FIG. 1, a diagram illustrates one preferred embodiment ofthe remote printing system according to the current invention. Theremote printing system includes a client device 14, a printer server 13,a plurality of print stations 12A, 12B and 12C, an access point orwireless transmitter/receiver 16 as well as a portable digital device11. In general, except for the portable digital device 11, all of theabove components of the remote printing system are connected physicallyas well as wirelessly to a cable network 15. One example of the wirelesscommunication protocols is “BlueTooth.” The portable digital devices 11₁ include a cellular phone, a note-size computer and a personal digitalassistant (PDA). The portable digital device 11 is wirelessly connectedto the network 15 via a wireless communication unit 11 ₁ and the accesspoint 16. The access point 16 is a relay-station between the cablenetwork 15 and a wireless communication device. The print stations 12A,12B and 12C each have a corresponding wireless communication unit 12A₁,12B₁, or 12C₁ to wirelessly as well as directly via the cable network 15communicate with the portable digital device 11. Furthermore, the printstations 12A, 12B and 12C are either color or black-and-white printersand may share a common page description language or PDL with the printserver 13. The print server 13 manages print requests or print jobs in aprint queue by storing the print requests and sends each of the printjobs to a specified one of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C. Duringthe course of printing, if any of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12Cdevelops a problem such as a paper jam, the print server 13 retransmitsthe print job to the restored print station. When a print job iscompleted in a normal fashion, the print server 13 releases thecorresponding print job from the print queue. The client device 14includes a personal computer and a workstation.

Referring to FIGS. 2 through 6, diagrams illustrate a various stages ofthe remote printing according to the current invention. Now particularlyreferring to FIG. 2, the diagram illustrates a first stage of onepreferred embodiment of the remote printing system where an authorgenerates a document at the client device 14 in his office and requestsa print job to be delivered to the carrier of the portable digitaldevice 11 by a regular print command. The print command or print jobincludes information on data to be printed, an origination or printrequester, a destination or print receiver, and additional data on thedestination or the printer. In response to the print command, thegenerated document is initially transferred to the print server 13 asindicated by a dotted line and is temporarily stored in the print server13. Although the data format of the stored document does not have to bea particular format, according to one preferred embodiment of thecurrent invention, a widely used data format such as PostScript (PS) ofAdobe or Portable Document Format (PDF) is preferred so that thedocument is printed at a requested print station even if the supporteddata format of the print station is not known to the print server 13.

Now referring to FIG. 3, the diagram illustrates a second stage of theabove preferred embodiment of the remote printing system according tothe current invention. In the second stage, the print server 13 sends aprint notice signal indicative of the requested print job to thespecified portable digital device 11 via the network 15 and the accesspoint 16. The print notice signal includes information on a requester, adesired destination printer type, printing parameters as well as a printdata pointer. The print data pointer indicates an address where the datato be printed is stored in the print server 13. For example, the abovedescribed print notice signal is implemented as e-mail to the carrier ofthe specified portable digital device 11. Upon receiving the printnotice signal, the portable digital device 11 notifies an arrival of thenew e-mail to the carrier of the portable digital device 11 by a visualindicator such as an e-mail icon on a display unit and or an audiosignal such as a periodic beep. Thus, the user is notified via e-mailthat a copy of a document is to be printed for her in the near future.

Referring to FIG. 4, the diagram illustrates a third stage of the abovepreferred embodiment of the remote printing system according to thecurrent invention. In the third stage, upon receiving the print noticesignal, the portable digital device 11 commences a printer searchprocess by transmitting a first wireless signal. For example, the firstwireless signal transmits only within 10 meters according to Class 3 ofthe BlueTooth transmission protocol and allows a scan and discovery ofprinters in a limited area. In this example, it is illustrated that thefirst wireless signal reaches only the print station 12C as indicated bya circle in the dotted line, and only the print station 12C responds tothe first wireless search signal. Based in part upon the positionalrelationship between the portable digital device and the surroundingprint stations 12A, 12B and 12C, the portable digital device 11determines a desired print station to be the print station C or 12C, andthe selected print station 12C establishes a wireless connection to theportable digital device 11. The portable digital device user now knowsthat the print out would be delivered at the selected print station 12C.Although the positional relationship is used as one selection factor inthis example, a print type and other print parameters are also used asequally important or deciding selection factors in other examples. Uponestablishing the wireless connection, the portable digital device 11wirelessly sends certain information such as the print data pointer tothe selected print station 12C. The above narrow area search iscontrasted to a much broader transmission area of other transmissionprotocols such as Personal Handy-phone System (PHS). Furthermore, theBlueTooth transmission protocol defines separate profiles for receivingdevices such as a fax machine, a print station and a portable phone soas to distinguish these receiving devices.

Referring to FIG. 5, the diagram illustrates a fourth stage of the abovepreferred embodiment of the remote printing system according to thecurrent invention. In the fourth stage, upon receiving the print datapointer, the selected print station 12C requests print data to betransferred from the print server 13 via the network 15 as indicated bya dotted line. The address in the print data pointer specifies therequested print data that is stored in the print server 13. The printdata pointer also specifies a transfer protocol for transferring therequested print data from the print server 13 to the selected printstation 12C. For example, file transfer protocol (ftp) is specified totransfer the print data between the print server 13 to the selectedprint station 12C. As described above, the print server 13 allocates itsresource for each transfer process based upon the corresponding priorityas managed in the queue.

Lastly, referring to FIG. 6, the diagram illustrates a fifth and thefinal stage of the above preferred embodiment of the remote printingsystem according to the current invention. In the fifth stage, uponreceiving the print data pointer from the selected print station 12C,the print server 13 transfers the requested print data to the selectedprint station 12C via the network according to the specified protocol asindicted by a dotted line. Upon receiving the transferred print data,the selected print station 12C prints the print data on a specifiedimage-carrying medium such as paper as indicated by an arrow 5. Thecarrier of the portable digital device 11 collects the print out tocomplete the remote printing process according to the current station.Upon completion of the requested printing, the selected print station12C confirms the requested print completion with the print server 13.Optionally, the print server 13 notifies the client device 14 of theprint completion so that the original print requester knows of thecompletion.

In summary, the print requester is able to deliver a hard copy of adesired document to a carrier of the portable digital device 11 at aconvenient location for the carrier. At the same time, since the printdata pointer is initially transferred to the carrier of the portabledigital device 11, only a limited amount of data is wirelesslytransferred on air to conserve wireless communication resources.Alternatively, in certain situation, the print requester is also thecarrier of the portable digital device 11 provided that the portabledigital device is able to communicate with the client device 14 or theprint server 13.

FIG. 7 is an exemplary e-mail notice to the carrier of the portabledigital device 11. In the second stage of the above preferred embodimentof the remote printing system according to the current invention, theprint server 13 sends a print notice signal indicative of the requestedprint job to the specified portable digital device 11 via the network 15and the access point 16. The above exemplary e-mail notice displays someinformation from the print notice signal. This exemplary e-mailsdisplays that the destination that is a print server as well as“T.Ymada” who sends a message “The above file is delivered for localprinting.” The print data pointer points to a particular file,“ftp.ricoh.co.jp/news/001.ps” as well as specifies a file transferprotocol as “ftp.”

FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram illustrating a sequence of certain stepsbetween the print station and the portable digital device in the abovepreferred process of remotely printing a document according to thecurrent invention. During a first step, the portable digital device 11broadcasts the wireless command signal, “connect” towards print stationsincluding the print station 12C. In response to the above broadcastedwireless signal, the print station 12C transmits the portable digitaldevice 11 a return wireless signal to indicate a successful connection.When it is determined that the print station 12C is selected as a printstation for the current print delivery, the portable digital device 11sends the selected print station 12C a print data pointer which includesa reference to a file stored at the print server 13 in a third step. Inthis example, the print data pointer includes the reference information,“ftp.ricoh.co.jp/news/001.ps” and is approximately thirty bytes in size.Upon receiving the print data pointer signal, the selected print station12C acknowledges the receipt by returning another wireless signal toindicate a successful transmission receipt in a fourth step. After theabove described wireless communication takes place, the portable digitaldevice 11 sends the command signal, “disconnect” the previouslyestablished connection between the portable digital device 11 and theprint station 12C in a sixth step.

Now referring to FIG. 9, a diagram illustrates components of onepreferred embodiment of the print server 13 in the remote print systemaccording to the current invention. The print server 13 includes aninput device 33 such as a keyboard and a pointing device, a display unit31 for displaying certain information, a data reader 32 for readingcertain information such as a software program, and a process unit 33for processing information related to print job management. Theprocessing unit 33 further includes a random access memory (RAM) unit26, a read only memory (ROM) unit 27, an input/output (I/O) controller28, a central processing (CPU) unit 25, a disk unit 24 and a networkinterface card (NIC) 23. All of these components in the processing unit33 are connected by a bus 29. While the I/O controller 28 is interfacewith external devices 34 through a USB or SCSI port, the NIC 23 isinterfaced with the network 15. The disk unit 24 stores an operatingsystem program, application programs such as e-mail processing software,printer device drivers as well as print server management programs suchas a print queue management program. Some of the above programs areloaded as UNIX demons or Windows services when a respective operatingsystem is started. Other programs are called in as necessary.Furthermore, the disk unit 24 also temporarily stores data to beprinted. The data reader 32 is able to read the software programs from avariety of storage media including a magnetic medium including a floppydisk, an optical medium such as CR-ROM, CD-R, CD-R/W, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAMdisks and a magneto-optical medium.

Now referring to FIG. 10, a diagram illustrates components of onepreferred embodiment of the portable digital device 11 in the remoteprint system according to the current invention. The portable digitaldevice 11 includes an input device 53 such as a keyboard and a pointingdevice, a display unit 51 for displaying certain information, a datareader 49 for reading certain information such as a software program, abattery 52, and a process unit 50 for processing information. Theprocessing unit 50 further includes a random access memory (RAM) unit46, a flash memory unit 47, a read only memory (ROM) unit 48, aninput/output (I/O) controller 45, a central processing (CPU) unit 44, acommunication port 43. All of these components in the processing unit 50are connected by a bus 42. While the I/O controller 45 is interface withexternal devices 35 through a USB or SCSI port, the communication port43 communicates with the network 15. The ROM unit 48 stores an operatingsystem and application programs such as an e-mail client program and anapplication program to receive a print data pointer. These programs aswell as a visual shell for managing these programs are loaded from theROM unit 48 into the RAM unit upon booting the operating system program.The processing unit 50 then waits for a user input and or an interruptfrom the communication port 43.

Referring to FIG. 11, a diagram illustrates components of one preferredembodiment of the print station 12 in the remote print system accordingto the current invention. The print station 12 includes a display/inputdevice 57 such as a touch-screen display monitor, a central processingunit (CPU) 55, a memory storage unit 59 including a random access memory(RAM), a read only memory and a hard disk drive (HDD), an input/output(I/O) controller 56, a network interface card (NIC) 58, a communicationport 54, a wireless communication protocol processing unit 53, a printengine 62, a paper supply/output unit 61 and a print engine controller60. A bus 63 connects the CPU 55, the memory storage unit 54, the I/Ocontroller 56, the wireless communication protocol processing unit 53and the print engine controller 60. The NIC 58 interfaces the printstation 12 with the network 15 while the wireless port 54 and thewireless communication protocol processing unit 53 wirelessly connectthe print station 12 with external devices 64 such as a portable digitaldevice that is positioned in a predetermined distance. The I/Ocontroller 56 controls the display/input unit 57 and the NIC. The I/Ocontroller 56 also controls the external devices 64 wirelessly via thewireless port 54 as well as directly via parallel and USB ports. Becauseof the multiple ports or interfaces, a number of external devices aresimultaneously connected to the print station 12. The print enginecontroller 60 controls both the print engine 62 and the papersupply/output unit 61, which supplies and outputs paper to and from theprint engine 60. Furthermore, the display/input unit 57 includes a datareader 32 for reading the software programs from a variety of storagemedia including a magnetic medium including a floppy disk, an opticalmedium such as CR-ROM, CD-R, CD-R/W, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM disks and amagneto-optical medium. The data reader 32 temporarily stores the readprogram in the memory storage unit 59 so that the CPU 55 executes theinstructions in the program.

The wireless port 54 and the wireless communication protocol processingunit 53 are implemented as a single unit in alternative embodiments ofthe print station. In a first alternative embodiment of the printstation, the above described single unit is placed within the printstation. In a second alternative embodiment, the above described singleunit is placed outside of the print station. In a third alternativeembodiment, the wireless communication protocol processing unit 53 isimplemented as software or firmware so that the replacement with a newcommunication protocol is facilitated for an upgrade.

In other alternative embodiments of the remote printing system accordingto the current invention, there are a number of variations within thespirit of the current invention. One of the variations is the print datapointer, and the print data pointer in the alternative embodiment isimplemented as a directly structure such as:

-   -   “¥doc-srv5¥prt¥meeting1.RPD”        Although the print data pointer was included in an e-mail print        notice to the portable digital device in the preferred        embodiment, the portable digital device periodically polls the        print server to check if a print job request exists in the        alternative embodiment. To accommodate a difference in print        driver language (PDL) between the print server and the print        station, the print server in the alternative embodiment converts        the PDL of the print data before transferring the print data to        the print station. Furthermore, the alternative embodiment        selects an appropriate print station when more than one print        station has responded to a wireless search signal from the        portable digital device. In one alternative embodiment, for        example, the print station status and the printer capability are        used in the selection. The print station status is the        availability of each print station when the wireless search        signal is received. The printer capability includes whether or        not a print station is a color printing capability. The above        described selection of a print station is performed by the        portable digital device, the print server, the client or even        one of the print stations.

In still other alternative embodiments of the remote printing systemaccording to the current invention, there are additional variationswithin the spirit of the current invention. In the preferred embodiment,the remote printing system includes both wireless and cablecommunication. In the alternative embodiment system, only wirelesscommunication is used among the components. In other words, the printserver, the client and each of the print stations wirelessly communicatewith each other. In this regard, the client in the alternativeembodiment directly transmits the e-mail print notice or the print datapointer to the portable digital device without the involvement of theprint server. Similarly, the portable digital device in the alternativeembodiment directly requests the print server to transmit the print datafrom the print server to the selected print station. Lastly, thealternative embodiment further includes a proxy server in conjunctionwith the access to the Internet, and at least either the print server orthe client server is located on the Internet outside of the abovedescribed network in the preferred embodiment. The proxy server improvesthe security in receiving data from the Internet.

Now referring to FIG. 12, a flow chart illustrates acts performed in theprint server in a preferred process of remote printing according to thecurrent invention. To describe the acts in the preferred process,although the components of the remote print system are referenced, thereference is strictly exemplary and the acts may be performed by meansother than the referenced components. In a step 1, after an authorprepares a document in the client 14, the author issues a print commandso that the document will be remotely printed and delivered to anintended receiver. The print command causes the document to betemporarily stored in a user area of the print server 13. Although thedata format of the document is not limited to a particular form, it isdesired that the data format is a widely used format such as PS or PDFformats. In a step 2, the printer server 13 transmits e-mail to theintended receiver via the portable digital device 11, and the e-mailincludes the print data pointer and other information such as comments.The transferred information is processed by a portable digital device 11and print stations 12 as shown in a step 5. The print server 13 thenwaits for a response or a print request from a print station in a step3. When there is a print request from a print station, the print server13 transmits to the print station print data that is specified in theprint request in a step 4. The preferred process at the print serverterminates after the print data transfer.

Now referring to FIG. 13, a flow chart illustrates acts performed in theportable digital device in a preferred process of remote printingaccording to the current invention. To describe the acts in thepreferred process, although the components of the remote print systemare referenced, the reference is strictly exemplary and the acts may beperformed by means other than the referenced components. In a step 1,the portable digital device 11 waits for the e-mail print deliverynotice. If there is no e-mail print notice, the preferred processterminates. On the other hand, if there is an e-mail print notice, theportable digital device 11 receives the information including a printdata pointer in a step 2. In response to the e-mail print notice, theportable digital device now searches an appropriate print station bybroadcasting a wireless signal in the vicinity in a step 3. Theappropriate print station is determined by a number of criteriaincluding the location of the print station in relation to the portabledigital device 11 and the print parameters that are provided in thee-mail print notice. The print parameters include a type of printingsuch as color, a speed of the printer and a number of copies. When theportable digital device 11 finds no appropriate print station, thepreferred process ends after returning a signal indicative of finding noprint station to the print server 13. On the other hand, when a desiredprint station is found, the portable digital device 11 transmits a printrequest signal to the selected print station in a step 5. The printrequest signal includes a print data pointer that specifies the addressto the print data file that is stored in the print server 13. After theprint request, the print station processes the transmitted data, and theportable digital device 11 waits for a return signal from the selectedprint station in a step 6. If the selected print station returns a printincomplete signal, the preferred process in the portable digital device11 maintains the e-mail print notice that includes the print datapointer and repeats the steps 5 and 6 on a periodic basis. On the otherhand, if the selected print station returns a print complete signal, thepreferred process deletes the e-mail print notice from its memory area.

Referring to FIG. 14, a flow chart illustrates acts performed in theprint station in a preferred process of remote printing according to thecurrent invention. To describe the acts in the preferred process,although the components of the remote print system are referenced, thereference is strictly exemplary and the acts may be performed by meansother than the referenced components. In a step 1, the selected printstation receives the print data pointer. Based upon the received printdata pointer, the print station generates a print data transfer requestcommand and transmits it to the print server 13. The print stationreceives the requested print data from the print server 13 in a step 3,and the print station prints the received print data in a step 4. Uponcompletion of the step 4, the print station decides the print status andreturns a status code. If the printing step 4 terminates in a normalfashion, the return status code is OK. On the other hand, if theprinting step 4 terminates in an abnormal fashion, the return statuscode is ERR.

Now referring to FIGS. 15A and 15B, diagrams illustrate components andtheir sequential interactions in a second preferred embodiment of theremote printing system according to the current invention. The secondpreferred embodiment includes the substantially identical components asdescribed in the first preferred embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 through6 except for the portable digital device 11-1 and the print server 13-1.The remote printing system includes a client device 14, the printerserver 13-1, a plurality of print stations 12A, 12B and 12C, an accesspoint or wireless transmitter/receiver 16 as well as the portabledigital device 11-1. In general, except for the portable digital device11-1, all of the above components of the remote printing system areconnected physically as well as wirelessly to a cable network 15. Theportable digital devices 11-1 include a cellular phone, a note-sizecomputer and a personal digital assistant (PDA). The portable digitaldevice 11-1 is wirelessly connected to the network 15 via a wirelesscommunication unit 11-1 and the access point 16. The access point 16 isa relay-station between the cable network 15 and a wirelesscommunication device. The print stations 12A, 12B and 12C each have acorresponding wireless communication unit 12A₁, 12B₁ or 12C₁ towirelessly communicate with the portable digital device 11-1, and theprint stations 12A, 12B and 12C also directly communicate with othercomponents via the network 15. Furthermore, the print stations 12A, 12Band 12C are either color or black-and-white printers and may share acommon page description language or PDL with the print server 13-1. Theprint server 13-1 manages print requests or print jobs in a print queueby storing the print requests and sends each of the print jobs to aspecified one of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C. During the courseof printing, if any of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C develops aproblem such as a paper jam, the print server 13-1 retransmits the printjob to the restored print station. When a print job is completed in anormal fashion, the print server 13-1 releases the corresponding printjob from the print queue. The client device 14 includes a personalcomputer and a workstation.

Referring particularly to FIG. 15A, an author 14 a prepares a documentat the client 14 and issues a print-send command in order to send a hardcopy of the document to a carrier of the portable digital device 11-1.As a result of the above described print-send command, the client device14 sends a copy of the document to the print server 13-1 as shown by anarrow S1. The print server 13-1 temporarily stores the document copy inits user area. The format such as PDL of the print data does not have tobe any predetermined format. However, it is preferred that the printdata format is a widely used or known format. At the same time, as aresult of the print-send command, the client device 14 also transmits ane-mail notice to the portable digital device 11-1 via an access point 16as indicated by an arrow S2. The e-mail notice includes a print datapointer that refers to an address in the user data storage area in theprint server 13-1, a corresponding print job name and a client name. Inresponse to the e-mail print notice, the portable digital device 11-1transmits a first wireless signal in a predetermined area in search of aprint station as indicated by a set of three waves S3 towards the printstations 12A, 12B and 12C. The portable digital device 11-1 in thesecond preferred embodiment transmits the first wireless signal thatreaches each of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C in a circled areathat is wider than that of the first preferred embodiment. The firstwireless signal includes information such as the print data pointer thathas been sent in the e-mail print notice. Upon receiving the firstwireless signal, the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C each send the printserver 13-1 information related to their print characteristics via thenetwork 15 as indicated in an arrow S4. The print characteristicsinclude information on the print status that takes a predetermined valueof READY or BUSY, the paper size, the printing speed in prints perminute, the color/monochrome value, the resolution value as well as thenetwork address.

Now referring particularly to FIG. 15B, after the above described actsas indicated by the arrows and waves S1 through S4, the second preferredembodiment of the remote printing system further perform the followingacts to complete the print-send command. As indicated by thetransmission S4 in FIG. 15A, the print server 13-1 receives the printcharacteristic information from the three print stations 12A, 12B and12C. Based upon the received print characteristic information, the printserver 13-1 selects the most appropriate print station for the pendingprint-send command. One example of the selection is that if the pendingprint-send command requires a color hard copy and only one of theresponded print stations is capable of printing in color, the printserver 13-1 selects the color print station. In this example, the printserver 13-1 selects the print station 12C for the pending print-sendcommand and sends via the network 15 the corresponding print data to theselected print station 12C as indicated by the transmission S5.Alternatively, the print server 13-1 simply selects a first respondedprint station, a first available print station or a print station withthe least amount of expected time to complete the print job. In responseto the print data transmission S5, the selected print station 12Coutputs a hard copy. Simultaneously with or subsequently to thetransmission S5, the print server 13-1 also transmits another e-mail asindicated by an arrow S6 to the portable digital device 11-1 via theaccess point 16 to notify the carrier of the portable digital device11-1 as to where the hard copy is available and as to when the print hasbeen completed. The print server 13-1 also sends via the network 15 amessage containing the same information to the original client device 14to notify the completion of the print-send command as also indicated byanother arrow S6.

An alternative embodiment to the above described remote printing systemincludes the print stations that each measures the strength of the firstwireless signal that was received at the print station from the portabledigital device 11-1. The measured strength indicates at least a relativedistance between the portable digital device 11-1 and the printstations. The measured signal strength is transmitted to the printserver 13-1 as a part of the printer characteristics in the transmissionS4. The print server 13-1 in turn selects the most closely located printstation based upon the measured signal strength. Even though the Class3, BlueTooth protocol is used for the first wireless signaltransmission, it is often possible to select the closest one of theprint stations that are all located within 10 meters from the portabledigital device 11-1.

Now referring to FIGS. 16A and 16B, diagrams illustrate components andtheir sequential interactions in a third preferred embodiment of theremote printing system according to the current invention. In general,the components of the third preferred embodiment are substantiallyidentical to those referred by the same reference numerals in theprevious figures. The third preferred embodiment additionally includes apair of gateways 22 and 24 as well as an Intranet 23. The networks 21and 25 connect the components of the third preferred embodiment via thegateways 22, 24 and the Intranet 23. One suitable application of thethird preferred embodiment is the remote printing system where theclient device 14, the print server 13-1 and the print stations 12A, 12Band 12C are located in separate buildings that are generally in thegeographical proximity. In order for the print server 13-1 to send datato one of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C, the print servertransmits via the network 25 the data to the first gateway 24, which isconnected to the Intranet 23. The data is routed the second gateway 22via the Intranet 23 and is further transmitted to an intended printstation via the network 21.

Referring particularly to FIG. 16A, an author 14 a prepares a documentat the client 14 and issues a print-send command in order to send a hardcopy of the document to a carrier of the portable digital device 11-1.As a result of the above described print-send command, the client device14 sends a copy of the document to the print server 13-1 as shown by asolid line S1 within the network 25. The print server 13-1 temporarilystores the document copy in its user area. The format such as PDL of theprint data does not have to be any predetermined format. However, it ispreferred that the print data format is a widely used or known format.At the same time, as a result of the print-send command, the clientdevice 14 also transmits through the networks 21 and 25 an e-mail noticeto the portable digital device 11-1 via the gateway 24, the Intranet 23,the gateway 22 and an access point 16 as indicated by an arrow S2. Thee-mail notice includes a print data pointer that refers to an address inthe user data storage area in the print server 13-1, a correspondingprint job name and a client name. In response to the e-mail printnotice, the portable digital device 11-1 transmits a first wirelesssignal in a predetermined area in search of a print station as indicatedby a set of three waves S3 towards the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C.The portable digital device 11-1 in the third preferred embodimenttransmits the first wireless signal that reaches each of the printstations 12A, 12B and 12C in a circled area that is wider than that ofthe first preferred embodiment. The first wireless signal includesinformation such as the print data pointer that was sent in the e-mailprint notice. Upon receiving the first wireless signal, the printstations 12A, 12B and 12C each send through the networks 21 and 25 theprint server 13-1 information related to their print characteristics asindicated in an arrow S4 via the gateway 22, the Intranet 23 and thegateway 24. The print characteristics include information on the printstatus that takes a predetermined value of READY or BUSY, the papersize, the printing speed in prints per minute, the color/monochromevalue, the resolution value as well as the network address.

Now referring particularly to FIG. 16B, after the above described actsas indicated by the arrows and waves S1 through S4, the third preferredembodiment of the remote printing system further perform the followingacts to complete the print-send command. As indicated by thetransmission S4 in FIG. 16A, the print server 13-1 receives the printcharacteristic information from the three print stations 12A, 12B and12C. Based upon the received print characteristic information, the printserver 13-1 selects the most appropriate print station for the pendingprint-send command. One example of the selection is that if the pendingprint-send command requires a color hard copy and only one of theresponded print stations is capable of printing in color, the printserver 13-1 selects the color print station. In this example, the printserver 13-1 selects the print station 12C for the pending print-sendcommand and sends through the networks 21 and 25 the corresponding printdata to the selected print station 12C via the gateway 22, the Intranet23 and the gateway 24 as indicated by the transmission S5.Alternatively, the print server 13-1 simply selects a first respondedprint station, a first available print station or a print station withthe least amount of expected time to complete the print job. In responseto the print data transmission S5, the selected print station 12Coutputs a hard copy. Simultaneously with or subsequently to thetransmission S5, the print server 13-1 also transmits another e-mail asindicated by an arrow S6 to the portable digital device 11-1 via thegateway 24, the Intranet 23, the gateway 22 and the access point 16 tonotify the carrier of the portable digital device 11-1 as to where thehard copy is available and as to when the print has been completed. Theprint server 13-1 also sends via the network 25 a message containing thesame information to the original client device 14 to notify thecompletion of the print-send command as also indicated by another arrowS6.

Now referring to FIGS. 17A and 17B, diagrams illustrate components andtheir sequential interactions in a fourth preferred embodiment of theremote print system according to the current invention. In general, thecomponents of the fourth preferred embodiment are substantiallyidentical to those referred by the same reference numerals in theprevious figures. The fourth preferred embodiment additionally includesa pair of gateways 22 and 24 as well as an Internet 26. The networks 21and 25 connect the components of the fourth preferred embodiment via thegateways 22, 24 and the Internet 23. One suitable application of thefourth preferred embodiment is the remote printing system where theclient device 14, the print server 13-1 and the print stations 12A, 12Band 12C are located in separate locations that are not necessarily inthe geographical proximity. In order for the print server 13-1 to senddata or e-mail to one of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C, the printserver transmits via the network 25 the data to the first gateway 24,which is connected to the Internet 26. The data is routed the secondgateway 22 via the Internet 26 and is further transmitted to an intendedprint station via the network 21. In general, the data or the e-mail isdelivered through an e-mail service provider.

Referring particularly to FIG. 17A, an author 14 a prepares a documentat the client 14 and issues a print-send command in order to send a hardcopy of the document to a carrier of the portable digital device 11-1.As a result of the above described print-send command, the client device14 sends a copy of the document to the print server 13-1 as shown by asolid line S1 within the network 25. The print server 13-1 temporarilystores the document copy in its user area. The format such as PDL of theprint data does not have to be any predetermined format. However, it ispreferred that the print data format is a widely used or known format.At the same time, as a result of the print-send command, the clientdevice 14 also transmits through the network 25 an e-mail notice to theportable digital device 11-1 via the gateway 24 and the Internet 26 asindicated by an arrow S2. The e-mail notice includes a print datapointer that refers to an address in the user data storage area in theprint server 13-1, a corresponding print job name and a client name. Inresponse to the e-mail print notice, the portable digital device 11-1transmits a first wireless signal in a predetermined area in search of aprint station as indicated by a set of three waves S3 towards the printstations 12A, 12B and 12C. The portable digital device 11-1 in thefourth preferred embodiment transmits the first wireless signal thatreaches each of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C in a circled areathat is wider than that of the first preferred embodiment. The firstwireless signal includes information such as the print data pointer thatwas sent in the e-mail print notice. Upon receiving the first wirelesssignal, the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C each send through thenetworks 21 and 25 the print server 13-1 information related to theirprint characteristics as indicated in an arrow S4 via the gateway 22,the Internet 26 and the gateway 24. The print characteristics includeinformation on the print status that takes a predetermined value ofREADY or BUSY, the paper size, the printing speed in prints per minute,the color/monochrome value, the resolution value as well as the networkaddress.

Now referring particularly to FIG. 17B, after the above described actsas indicated by the arrows and waves S1 through S4, the fourth preferredembodiment of the remote printing system further perform the followingacts to complete the print-send command. As indicated by thetransmission S4 in FIG. 17A, the print server 13-1 receives the printcharacteristic information from the three print stations 12A, 12B and12C. Based upon the received print characteristic information, the printserver 13-1 selects the most appropriate print station for the pendingprint-send command. One example of the selection is that if the pendingprint-send command requires a color hard copy and only one of theresponded print stations is capable of printing in color, the printserver 13-1 selects the color print station. In this example, the printserver 13-1 selects the print station 12C for the pending print-sendcommand and sends through the networks 25 and 21 the corresponding printdata to the selected print station 12C via the gateway 24, the Internet26 and the gateway 22 as indicated by the transmission S5.Alternatively, the print server 13-1 simply selects a first respondedprint station, a first available print station or a print station withthe least amount of expected time to complete the print job. In responseto the print data transmission S5, the selected print station 12Coutputs a hard copy. Simultaneously with or subsequently to thetransmission S5, the print server 13-1 also transmits another e-mail asindicated by an arrow S6 to the portable digital device 11-1 via thegateway 24 and the Internet 26 to notify the carrier of the portabledigital device 11 as to where the hard copy is available and as to whenthe print has been completed. The print server 13-1 also sends via thenetwork 25 a message containing the same information to the originalclient device 14 to notify the completion of the print-send command asalso indicated by another arrow S6.

Now referring to FIG. 18, a flow chart illustrates common acts performedby the above described second, third and fourth preferred embodiments ofthe remote printing system according to the current invention. Todescribe the acts in the preferred process, although the components ofthe remote print system are referenced, the reference is strictlyexemplary and the acts may be performed by means other than thereferenced components. In a step 1, after an author prepares a documentin the client 14, the author issues a print-send command so that thedocument will be remotely printed and delivered to an intended receiver.The print-send command causes the document to be temporarily stored in auser area of the print server 13. Although the data format of thedocument is not limited to a particular form, it is desired that thedata format is a widely used format such as PS or PDF formats. In a step2, the client device 14 transmits e-mail to the intended receiver viathe portable digital device 11, and the e-mail includes the print datapointer and other information such as comments. In response to thee-mail print notice, the portable digital device 11 now searches anappropriate print station by broadcasting a wireless signal in thevicinity in a step 3. The wireless signal includes information on theprint server 13 that has been sent in the e-mail print notice. In a step4, in response to the wireless signal, the print stations each sendtheir print characteristics to the print server 13. Based upon the replyinformation on the printer characteristics and others, the print server13 now selects an appropriate print station in a step 5. The selectioncriteria include a number of factors including the location of the printstation in relation to the portable digital device 11 and the printparameters that are provided in the e-mail print notice. The printparameters include a type of printing such as color, a speed of theprinter and a number of copies. The print server 13 transmits the printdata to the selected print station in the step 5. Finally, uponcompletion of the print-send command, the print server 13 sends anothere-mail to the portable digital device 11 to notify that the previouslyissued print-send command has been completed in a step 6. Then thepreferred then process terminates.

Now referring to FIGS. 19A and 19B, diagrams illustrate components andtheir sequential interactions in a fifth preferred embodiment of theremote printing system according to the current invention. The fifthpreferred embodiment includes the substantially identical components asdescribed in the first preferred embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 through6 except for the portable digital device 11-1 and the print server 13-2.The remote printing system includes a client device 14, the printerserver 13-2, a plurality of print stations 12A, 12B and 12C, an accesspoint or wireless transmitter/receiver 16 as well as the portabledigital device 11-1. In general, except for the portable digital device11-1, all of the above components of the remote printing system areconnected physically as well as wirelessly to a cable network 15. Theportable digital devices 11-1 include a cellular phone, a note-sizecomputer and a personal digital assistant (PDA). The portable digitaldevice 11-1 is wirelessly connected to the network 15 via a wirelesscommunication unit 11-1 and the access point 16. The access point 16 isa relay-station between the cable network 15 and a wirelesscommunication device. The print stations 12A, 12B and 12C each have acorresponding wireless communication unit 12A₁, 12B₁ or 12C₁ towirelessly communicate with the portable digital device 11-1, and theprint stations 12A, 12B and 12C also directly communicate with othercomponents via the network 15. Furthermore, the print stations 12A, 12Band 12C are either color or black-and-white printers and may share acommon page description language or PDL with the print server 13-2. Theprint server 13-2 also has a wireless communication unit 13-2 ₁ towirelessly communicate with the portable digital device 11-1 as well asthe print stations 12A, 12B and 12C. The print server 13-2 manages printrequests or print jobs in a print queue by storing the print requestsand sends each of the print jobs to a specified one of the printstations 12A, 12B and 12C. During the course of printing, if any of theprint stations 12A, 12B and 12C develops a problem such as a paper jam,the print server 13-2 retransmits the print job to the restored printstation. When a print job is completed in a normal fashion, the printserver 13-2 releases the corresponding print job from the print queue.The client device 14 includes a personal computer and a workstation.

Referring particularly to FIG. 19A, an author 14 a prepares a documentat the client device 14 and issues a print-send command in order to senda hard copy of the document to a carrier 11a of the portable digitaldevice 11-1. As a result of the above described print-send command, theclient device 14 sends a copy of the document to the print server 13-2as shown by an arrow S1. The print server 13-2 temporarily stores thedocument copy in its user area. The format such as PDL of the print datadoes not have to be any predetermined format. However, it is preferredthat the print data format is a widely used or known format. At the sametime, as a result of the print-send command, the print server 13-2 alsowirelessly transmits an e-mail notice directly to the portable digitaldevice 11-1 via the communication unit 13-2 ₁ as indicated by an arrowS2. The e-mail notice includes a print data pointer that refers to anaddress in the user data storage area in the print server 13-2, acorresponding print job name and a client name. In response to thee-mail print notice, the portable digital device 11-1 transmits a firstwireless signal in a predetermined area in search of a print station asindicated by a set of three waves S3 towards the print stations 12A, 12Band 12C. The portable digital device 11-1 in the fifth preferredembodiment transmits the first wireless signal that reaches each of theprint stations 12A, 12B and 12C in a circled area that is wider thanthat of the first preferred embodiment. The first wireless signalincludes information such as the print data pointer that has been sentin the e-mail print notice. Upon receiving the first wireless signal,the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C each send the print server 13-2information related to their print characteristics as indicated in anarrow S4 via the network 15. The print characteristics includeinformation on the print status that takes a predetermined value ofREADY or BUSY, the paper size, the printing speed in prints per minute,the color/monochrome value, the resolution value as well as the networkaddress.

Now referring particularly to FIG. 19B, after the above described actsas indicated by the arrows and waves S1 through S4, the fifth preferredembodiment of the remote printing system further perform the followingacts to complete the print-send command. As indicated by thetransmission S4 in FIG. 19A, the print server 13-2 receives the printcharacteristic information from the three print stations 12A, 12B and12C. Based upon the received print characteristic information, the printserver 13-2 selects the most appropriate print station for the pendingprint-send command. One example of the selection is that if the pendingprint-send command requires a color hard copy and only one of theresponded print stations is capable of printing in color, the printserver 13-2 selects the color print station. In this example, the printserver 13-2 selects the print station 12C for the pending print-sendcommand and sends via the network 15 the corresponding print data to theselected print station 12C as indicated by the transmission S5.Alternatively, the print server 13-2 simply selects a first respondedprint station, a first available print station or a print station withthe least amount of expected time to complete the print job. In responseto the print data transmission S5, the selected print station 12Coutputs a hard copy. Simultaneously with or subsequently to thetransmission S5, the print server 13-2 also transmits via thecommunication unit 13-2 ₁ another e-mail as indicated by an arrow S6directly to the portable digital device 11-1 to notify the carrier 11 aof the portable digital device 11-1 as to where the hard copy isavailable and as to when the print has been completed. The print server13-2 also sends via the network 15 a message containing the sameinformation to the original client device 14 to notify the completion ofthe print-send command as also indicated by another arrow S6.

Now referring to FIGS. 20A and 20B, diagrams illustrate components andtheir sequential interactions in a sixth preferred embodiment of theremote printing system according to the current invention. In general,the components of the sixth preferred embodiment are substantiallyidentical to those referred by the same reference numerals in theprevious figures. The sixth preferred embodiment additionally includes apair of gateways 22 and 24, the Internet 26 as well as an Intranet 23.The networks 21 and 25 connect the components of the sixth preferredembodiment via the gateways 22, 24, the Internet and the Intranet 23.One suitable application of the sixth preferred embodiment is the remoteprinting system where the client device 14, the print server 13-2 andthe print stations 12A, 12B and 12C are located in separate buildingsthat are generally in the geographical proximity. In order for the printserver 13-2 to send data to one of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C,the print server 13-2 transmits via the network 25 the data to the firstgateway 24, which is connected to the Intranet 23. The data is routedthe second gateway 22 via the Intranet 23 and is further transmitted toan intended print station via the network 21. On the other hand, inorder for the print server 13-2 to send data to the portable digitaldevice 11-1, the communication unit 13-2 ₁ transmits the data via theInternet 26.

Referring particularly to FIG. 20A, an author 14 a prepares a documentat the client device 14 and issues a print-send command in order to senda hard copy of the document to a carrier 11 a of the portable digitaldevice 11-1. As a result of the above described print-send command, theclient device 14 sends a copy of the document to the print server 13-2as shown by a solid line S1 within the network 25. The print server 13-2temporarily stores the document copy in its user area. The format suchas PDL of the print data does not have to be any predetermined format.However, it is preferred that the print data format is a widely used orknown format. At the same time, as a result of the print-send command,the print server 13-2 also transmits through the Internet 26 an e-mailnotice to the portable digital device 11-1 via the communication units13-2 ₁ and 11-1 ₁ as indicated by an arrow S2. The e-mail noticeincludes a print data pointer that refers to an address in the user datastorage area in the print server 13-2, a corresponding print job nameand a client name. In response to the e-mail print notice, the portabledigital device 11-1 transmits a first wireless signal in a predeterminedarea in search of a print station as indicated by a set of three wavesS3 towards the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C. The portable digitaldevice 11-1 in the sixth preferred embodiment transmits the firstwireless signal that reaches each of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12Cin a circled area that is wider than that of the first preferredembodiment. The first wireless signal includes information such as theprint data pointer that has been sent in the e-mail print notice. Uponreceiving the first wireless signal, the print stations 12A, 12B and 12Ceach send through the networks 21 and 25 the print server 13-2information related to their print characteristics as indicated in anarrow S4 via the gateway 22, the Intranet 23 and the gateway 24. Theprint characteristics include information on the print status that takesa predetermined value of READY or BUSY, the paper size, the printingspeed in prints per minute, the color/monochrome value, the resolutionvalue as well as the network address.

Now referring particularly to FIG. 20B, after the above described actsas indicated by the arrows and waves S1 through S4, the sixth preferredembodiment of the remote printing system further perform the followingacts to complete the print-send command. As indicated by thetransmission S4 in FIG. 20A, the print server 13-2 receives the printcharacteristic information from the three print stations 12A, 12B and12C. Based upon the received print characteristic information, the printserver 13-2 selects the most appropriate print station for the pendingprint-send command. One example of the selection is that if the pendingprint-send command requires a color hard copy and only one of theresponded print stations is capable of printing in color, the printserver 13-2 selects the color print station. In this example, the printserver 13-2 selects the print station 12C for the pending print-sendcommand and sends through the networks 21 and 25 the corresponding printdata to the selected print station 12C via the gateway 24, the Intranet23 and the gateway 22 as indicated by the transmission S5.Alternatively, the print server 13-2 simply selects a first respondedprint station, a first available print station or a print station withthe least amount of expected time to complete the print job. In responseto the print data transmission S5, the selected print station 12Coutputs a hard copy. Simultaneously with or subsequently to thetransmission S5, the print server 13-2 also transmits another e-mail asindicated by an arrow S6 to the portable digital device 11-1 via thecommunication units 13-2 ₁, 11-1 ₁ and the Internet 26 to notify thecarrier 11 a as to where the hard copy is available and as to when theprint has been completed. The print server 13-2 also sends a messagecontaining the same information to the original client device 14 tonotify the completion of the print-send command as also indicated byanother arrow S6 via the network 25.

Now referring to FIGS. 21A and 21B, diagrams illustrate components andtheir sequential interactions in a seventh preferred embodiment of theremote printing system according to the current invention. In general,the components of the seventh preferred embodiment are substantiallyidentical to those referred by the same reference numerals in theprevious figures. The seventh preferred embodiment additionally includesa pair of gateways 22 and 24, a public network 26-1 as well as theInternet 26. The networks 21 and 25 connect the components of theseventh preferred embodiment via the gateways 22, 24 and the Internet23. One suitable application of the seventh preferred embodiment is theremote printing system where the client device 14, the print server 13-2and the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C are located in separatelocations that are not necessarily in the geographical proximity. Inorder for the print server 13-2 to send data or e-mail to one of theprint stations 12A, 12B and 12C, the print server transmits via thenetwork 25 the data to the first gateway 24, which is connected to theInternet 26. The data is routed the second gateway 22 via the Internet26 and is further transmitted to an intended print station via thenetwork 21. In general, the data or the e-mail is delivered through ane-mail service provider. The print server is also equipped with thecommunication unit 13-2 ₁ to communicate with the portable digitaldevice 11-1 via the public wireless network 26-1.

Referring particularly to FIG. 21A, an author 14 a prepares a documentat the client 14 and issues a print-send command in order to send a hardcopy of the document to a carrier 11 a of the portable digital device11-1. As a result of the above described print-send command, the clientdevice 14 sends a copy of the document to the print server 13-2 as shownby a solid line S1 within the network 25. The print server 13-2temporarily stores the document copy in its user area. The format suchas PDL of the print data does not have to be any predetermined format.However, it is preferred that the print data format is a widely used orknown format. At the same time, as a result of the print-send command,the print server 13-2 wirelessly transmits via the public network 26-1an e-mail notice to the portable digital device 11-1 via thecommunication unit 13-2 ₁ as indicated by an arrow S2. The e-mail noticeincludes a print data pointer that refers to an address in the user datastorage area in the print server 13-2, a corresponding print job nameand a client name. In response to the e-mail print notice, the portabledigital device 11-1 transmits a first wireless signal in a predeterminedarea in search of a print station as indicated by a set of three wavesS3 towards the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C. The portable digitaldevice 11-1 in the seventh preferred embodiment transmits the firstwireless signal that reaches each of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12Cin a circled area that is wider than that of the first preferredembodiment. The first wireless signal includes information such as theprint data pointer that has been sent in the e-mail print notice. Uponreceiving the first wireless signal, the print stations 12A, 12B and 12Ceach send through the networks 21 and 25 the print server 13-2information related to their print characteristics as indicated in anarrow S4 via the gateway 22, the Internet 26 and the gateway 24. Theprint characteristics include information on the print status that takesa predetermined value of READY or BUSY, the paper size, the printingspeed in prints per minute, the color/monochrome value, the resolutionvalue as well as the network address.

Now referring particularly to FIG. 21B, after the above described actsas indicated by the arrows and waves S1 through S4, the seventhpreferred embodiment of the remote printing system further perform thefollowing acts to complete the print-send command. As indicated by thetransmission S4 in FIG. 21A, the print server 13-2 receives the printcharacteristic information from the three print stations 12A, 12B and12C. Based upon the received print characteristic information, the printserver 13-2 selects the most appropriate print station for the pendingprint-send command. One example of the selection is that if the pendingprint-send command requires a color hard copy and only one of theresponded print stations is capable of printing in color, the printserver 13-2 selects the color print station. In this example, the printserver 13-2 selects the print station 12C for the pending print-sendcommand and sends through the networks 25 and 21 the corresponding printdata to the selected print station 12C via the gateway 24, the Internet26 and the gateway 22 as indicated by the transmission S5.Alternatively, the print server 13-2 simply selects a first respondedprint station, a first available print station or a print station withthe least amount of expected time to complete the print job. In responseto the print data transmission S5, the selected print station 12Coutputs a hard copy. Simultaneously with or subsequently to thetransmission S5, the print server 13-2 also transmits another e-mail asindicated by an arrow S6 to the portable digital device 11-1 via thecommunication unit 13-2 ₁ and the public network 26-1 to notify thecarrier 11 a of the portable digital device 11-1 as to where the hardcopy is available and as to when the print has been completed. The printserver 13-2 also sends a message containing the same information to theoriginal client device 14 to notify the completion of the print-sendcommand as also indicated by another arrow S6 via the network 25.

Now referring to FIG. 22, a flow chart illustrates common acts performedby the above described fifth, sixth and seventh preferred embodiments ofthe remote printing system according to the current invention. Todescribe the acts in the preferred process, although the components ofthe remote print system are referenced, the reference is strictlyexemplary and the acts may be performed by means other than thereferenced components. In a step 1, after an author prepares a documentin the client device 14, the author issues a print-send command so thatthe document will be remotely printed and delivered to an intendedreceiver. The print-send command causes the document to be temporarilystored in a user area of the print server 13-2. Although the data formatof the document is not limited to a particular form, it is desired thatthe data format is a widely used format such as PS or PDF formats. In astep 2, the print server 13-2 transmits e-mail to the intended receivervia the portable digital device 11-1, and the e-mail includes the printdata pointer and other information such as comments. In response to thee-mail print notice, the portable digital device 11-1 now searches anappropriate print station by broadcasting a wireless signal in thevicinity in a step 3. The wireless signal includes information on theprint server 13-2 that has been sent in the e-mail print notice. In astep 4, in response to the wireless signal, the print stations each sendtheir print characteristics to the print server 13-2. Based upon thereply information on the printer characteristics and others, the printserver 13-2 now selects an appropriate print station in a step 5. Theselection criteria include a number of factors including the location ofthe print station in relation to the portable digital device 11-1 andthe print parameters that are provided in the e-mail print notice. Theprint parameters include a type of printing such as color, a speed ofthe printer and a number of copies. The print server 13-2 transmits theprint data to the selected print station in the step 5. Finally, uponcompletion of the print-send command, the print server 13-2 sendsanother e-mail to the portable digital device 11-1 to notify that thepreviously issued print-send command has been completed in a step 6.Then the preferred then process terminates.

Now referring to FIGS. 23A and 23B, diagrams illustrate components andtheir sequential interactions in an eighth preferred embodiment of theremote printing system according to the current invention. The eighthpreferred embodiment includes the substantially identical components asdescribed in the first preferred embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 through6 except for the client device 14, the portable digital device 11-1 andthe lack of the print server 13-2. The remote printing system includesthe client device 14, a plurality of print stations 12A, 12B and 12C, anaccess point or wireless transmitter/receiver 16 as well as the portabledigital device 11-1. In general, except for the portable digital device11-1, all of the above components of the remote printing system areconnected physically as well as wirelessly to a cable network 15. Theportable digital devices 11-1 include a cellular phone, a note-sizecomputer and a personal digital assistant (PDA). The portable digitaldevice 11-1 is wirelessly connected to the network 15 via a wirelesscommunication unit 11-1 and the access point 16. The access point 16 isa relay-station between the cable network 15 and a wirelesscommunication device. The print stations 12A, 12B and 12C each have acorresponding wireless communication unit 12A₁, 12B₁ or 12C₁ towirelessly communicate with the portable digital device 11-1, and theprint stations 12A, 12B and 12C also directly communicate with othercomponents via the network 15. Furthermore, the print stations 12A, 12Band 12C are either color or black-and-white printers and may share acommon page description language or PDL with the client device 14. Theclient device 14 further includes a print manager unit for managingprint requests or print jobs in a print queue and sending each of theprint jobs to a specified one of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C.During the course of printing, if any of the print stations 12A, 12B and12C develops a problem such as a paper jam, the client device 14retransmits the print job to the restored print station. When a printjob is completed in a normal fashion, the client device 14 releases thecorresponding print job from the print queue. The client device 14includes a personal computer and a workstation.

Referring particularly to FIG. 23A, an author 14 a prepares a documentat the client device 14 and issues a print-send command in order to senda hard copy of the document to a carrier 11 a of the portable digitaldevice 11-1. As a result of the above described print-send command, theclient device 14 stores the document copy in its user area. The formatsuch as PDL of the print data does not have to be any predeterminedformat. However, it is preferred that the print data format is a widelyused or known format. At the same time, as a result of the print-sendcommand, the client device 14 also wirelessly transmits an e-mail noticedirectly to the portable digital device 11-1 via the access point 16 asindicated by an arrow S1. The e-mail notice includes a print datapointer that refers to an address in the user data storage area in theclient device 14, a corresponding print job name and a client name. Inresponse to the e-mail print notice, the portable digital device 11-1transmits a first wireless signal in a predetermined area in search of aprint station as indicated by a set of three waves S2 towards the printstations 12A, 12B and 12C. The portable digital device 11-1 in theeighth preferred embodiment transmits the first wireless signal thatreaches each of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C in a circled areathat is wider than that of the first preferred embodiment. The firstwireless signal includes information such as the print data pointer thathas been sent in the e-mail print notice. Upon receiving the firstwireless signal, the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C each wirelesslysend the portable digital device 11-1 information related to their printcharacteristics as indicated in three sets of waves S3 via thecommunication units 12A₁, 12B₁ and 12C₁. The print characteristicsinclude information on the print status that takes a predetermined valueof READY or BUSY, the paper size, the printing speed in prints perminute, the color/monochrome value, the resolution value as well as thenetwork address.

Now referring particularly to FIG. 23B, after the above described actsas indicated by the arrows and waves S1 through S3, the eighth preferredembodiment of the remote printing system further perform the followingacts to complete the print-send command. As indicated by thetransmission S3 in FIG. 23A, the portable digital device 11-1 receivesthe print characteristic information from the three print stations 12A,12B and 12C. Based upon the received print characteristic information,the portable digital device 11-1 selects the most appropriate printstation for the pending print-send command. One example of the selectionis that if the pending print-send command requires a color hard copy andonly one of the responded print stations is capable of printing incolor, the portable digital device 11-1 selects the color print station.In this example, the portable digital device 11-1 selects the printstation 12C for the pending print-send command, and the client device 14sends via the network 15 the corresponding print data to the selectedprint station 12C as indicated by the transmission S4. In response tothe print data transmission S4, the selected print station 12C outputs ahard copy. Simultaneously with or subsequently to the transmission S4,the portable digital device 11-1 transmits via the network 15 and theaccess point 16 another e-mail as indicated by an arrow S5 to the clientdevice 14 to notify where the hard copy is available and as to when theprint has been completed.

Alternatively, the portable digital device 11-1 simply selects a firstresponded print station, a first available print station or a printstation with the least amount of expected time to complete the printjob. Furthermore, a portable digital device of an alternative embodimentto the eighth preferred embodiment includes a reception signal measuringunit for measuring the strength of the reception signal. Based upon themeasured signal strength, the alternative preferred embodiment of theportable digital device also selects a print station. With the use ofClass 3, BlueTooth transmission protocol, the above described signalstrength is used distinguishing for the print stations that are locatedwithin 10 meters from each other. In addition, a client device of analternative embodiment to the eighth preferred embodiment sends theprint data of a certain size as an attachment to the initial e-mailnotice to the portable digital device 11-1.

Now referring to FIGS. 24A and 24B, diagrams illustrate components andtheir sequential interactions in a ninth preferred embodiment of theremote printing system according to the current invention. In general,the components of the ninth preferred embodiment are substantiallyidentical to those referred by the same reference numerals in theprevious figures. The ninth preferred embodiment additionally includes apair of gateways 22 and 24, the Intranet 23. The networks 21 and 25connect the components of the ninth preferred embodiment via thegateways 22, 24, the Intranet 23. One suitable application of the sixthpreferred embodiment is the remote printing system where the clientdevice 14 and the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C are located inseparate buildings that are generally in the geographical proximity. Inorder for the client device 14 to send data to one of the print stations12A, 12B and 12C, the client device 14 transmits via the network 25 thedata to the first gateway 24, which is connected to the Intranet 23. Thedata is routed the second gateway 22 via the Intranet 23 and is furthertransmitted to an intended print station via the network 21.

Referring particularly to FIG. 24A, an author 14 a prepares a documentat the client device 14 and issues a print-send command in order to senda hard copy of the document to a carrier 11 a of the portable digitaldevice 11-1. As a result of the above described print-send command, theclient device 14 stores the document copy in its user area. The formatsuch as PDL of the print data does not have to be any predeterminedformat. However, it is preferred that the print data format is a widelyused or known format. At the same time, as a result of the print-sendcommand, the client device 14 transmits through the Intranet 23 ane-mail notice to the portable digital device 11-1 via the access point16 as indicated by an arrow S1. The e-mail notice includes a print datapointer that refers to an address in the user data storage area in theclient device 14, a corresponding print job name and a client name. Inresponse to the e-mail print notice, the portable digital device 11-1transmits a first wireless signal in a predetermined area in search of aprint station as indicated by a set of three waves S2 towards the printstations 12A, 12B and 12C. The portable digital device 11-1 in the ninthpreferred embodiment transmits the first wireless signal that reacheseach of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C in a circled area that iswider than that of the first preferred embodiment. The first wirelesssignal includes information such as the print data pointer that has beensent in the e-mail print notice. Upon receiving the first wirelesssignal, the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C each wirelessly transmitsthe portable digital device 11-1 information that is related to theirprint characteristics as indicated in an arrow S3 via the communicationunits 12A₁, 12B₁ and 12C₁. The print characteristics include informationon the print status that takes a predetermined value of READY or BUSY,the paper size, the printing speed in prints per minute, thecolor/monochrome value, the resolution value as well as the networkaddress.

Now referring particularly to FIG. 24B, after the above described actsas indicated by the arrows and waves S1 through S3, the ninth preferredembodiment of the remote printing system further perform the followingacts to complete the print-send command. As indicated by thetransmission S3 in FIG. 24A, the portable digital device 11-1 receivesthe print characteristic information from the three print stations 12A,12B and 12C. Based upon the received print characteristic information,the portable digital device 11-1 selects the most appropriate printstation for the pending print-send command. One example of the selectionis that if the pending print-send command requires a color hard copy andonly one of the responded print stations is capable of printing incolor, the portable digital device 11-1 selects the color print station.In this example, the portable digital device 11-1 selects the printstation 12C for the pending print-send command, and the client device 14sends through the networks 21 and 25 the corresponding print data to theselected print station 12C via the gateway 24, the Intranet 23 and thegateway 22 as indicated by the transmission S4. Alternatively, theportable digital device 11-1 simply selects a first responded printstation, a first available print station or a print station with theleast amount of expected time to complete the print job. In response tothe print data transmission S4, the selected print station 12C outputs ahard copy. Simultaneously with or subsequently to the transmission S4,the portable digital device 11-1 transmits via the networks 21 and 25another e-mail as indicated by an arrow S5 to the client device 14 viathe access point 16, the gateways 22, 24 and the Intranet 23 to notifyas to where the hard copy is available and as to when the print has beencompleted.

Now referring to FIGS. 25A and 25B, diagrams illustrate components andtheir sequential interactions in a tenth preferred embodiment of theremote printing system according to the current invention. In general,the components of the tenth preferred embodiment are substantiallyidentical to those referred by the same reference numerals in theprevious figures. The tenth preferred embodiment additionally includes apair of gateways 22 and 24 as well as the Internet 26. The networks 21and 25 connect the components of the tenth preferred embodiment via thegateways 22, 24 and the Internet 26. One suitable application of thetenth preferred embodiment is the remote printing system where theclient device 14 and the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C are located inseparate locations that are not necessarily in the geographicalproximity. In order for the client device 14 to send data or e-mail toone of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C, the client device 14transmits via the network 25 the data to the first gateway 24, which isconnected to the Internet 26. The data is routed the second gateway 22via the Internet 26 and is further transmitted to an intended printstation via the network 21. In general, the data or the e-mail isdelivered through an e-mail service provider.

Referring particularly to FIG. 25A, an author 14 a prepares a documentat the client device 14 and issues a print-send command in order to senda hard copy of the document to a carrier 11 a of the portable digitaldevice 11-1. As a result of the above described print-send command, theclient device 14 stores the document copy in its user area. The formatsuch as PDL of the print data does not have to be any predeterminedformat. However, it is preferred that the print data format is a widelyused or known format. At the same time, as a result of the print-sendcommand, the client device 14 transmits through the public network 26 ane-mail notice to the portable digital device 11-1 via the gateway 24 andthe network 25 as indicated by an arrow S1. The e-mail notice includes aprint data pointer that refers to an address in the user data storagearea in the client device 14, a corresponding print job name and aclient name. In response to the e-mail print notice, the portabledigital device 11-1 transmits a first wireless signal in a predeterminedarea in search of a print station as indicated by a set of three wavesS2 towards the print stations 12A, 12B and 12C. The portable digitaldevice 11-1 in the tenth preferred embodiment transmits the firstwireless signal that reaches each of the print stations 12A, 12B and 12Cin a circled area that is wider than that of the first preferredembodiment. The first wireless signal includes information such as theprint data pointer that has been sent in the e-mail print notice. Uponreceiving the first wireless signal, the print stations 12A, 12B and 12Ceach wirelessly transmit the portable digital device 11-1 informationrelated to their print characteristics as indicated in three sets ofwaves S3. The print characteristics include information on the printstatus that takes a predetermined value of READY or BUSY, the papersize, the printing speed in prints per minute, the color/monochromevalue, the resolution value as well as the network address.

Now referring particularly to FIG. 25B, after the above described actsas indicated by the arrows and waves S1 through S3, the tenth preferredembodiment of the remote printing system further perform the followingacts to complete the print-send command. As indicated by thetransmission S3 in FIG. 25A, the portable digital device 11-1 receivesthe print characteristic information from the three print stations 12A,12B and 12C. Based upon the received print characteristic information,the portable digital device 11-1 selects the most appropriate printstation for the pending print-send command. One example of the selectionis that if the pending print-send command requires a color hard copy andonly one of the responded print stations is capable of printing incolor, the portable digital device 11-1 selects the color print station.In this example, the portable digital device 11-1 selects the printstation 12C for the pending print-send command. The client device 14sends through the networks 25 and 21 the corresponding print data to theselected print station 12C via the gateway 24, the Internet 26 and thegateway 22 as indicated by the transmission S4. Alternatively, theportable digital device 11-1 simply selects a first responded printstation, a first available print station or a print station with theleast amount of expected time to complete the print job. In response tothe print data transmission S4, the selected print station 12C outputs ahard copy. Simultaneously with or subsequently to the transmission S4,the portable digital device 11-1 also transmits another e-mail asindicated by an arrow S5 to the client device 14 via the public network26 to notify as to where the hard copy is available and as to when theprint has been completed.

Now referring to FIG. 26, a flow chart illustrates common acts performedby the above described eighth, ninth and tenth preferred embodiments ofthe remote printing system according to the current invention. Todescribe the acts in the preferred process, although the components ofthe remote print system are referenced, the reference is strictlyexemplary and the acts may be performed by means other than thereferenced components. In a step 1, after an author prepares a documentin the client device 14, the author issues a print-send command so thatthe document will be remotely printed and delivered to an intendedreceiver. The print-send command causes the document to be temporarilystored in a user area of the client device 14. Although the data formatof the document is not limited to a particular form, it is desired thatthe data format is a widely used format such as PS or PDF formats. In astep 2, the client device 14 initiates an e-mail print notice to theintended receiver via the portable digital device 11-1, and the e-mailincludes the print data pointer and other information such as comments.In response to the e-mail print notice, the portable digital device 11-1now searches an appropriate print station by broadcasting a wirelesssignal in the vicinity in a step 3. In response to the search signal,the print stations each wirelessly transmit their print characteristicsto the portable digital device 11-1 also in the step 3. Based upon thetransmitted print characteristics, the portable digital device 11-1selects a print station still in the step 3. The selection criteriainclude a number of factors including the location of the print stationin relation to the portable digital device 11-1 and the print parametersthat are provided in the e-mail print notice. The print parametersinclude a type of printing such as color, a speed of the printer and anumber of copies. The client device 14 transmits the print data to theselected print station in the step 4. Finally, upon completion of theprint-send command, the portable digital device 11-1 sends anothere-mail to the client device 14 to notify that the previously issuedprint-send command has been completed in a step 5. Then the preferredthen process terminates.

As described above, the preferred and alternative embodiments of theremote printing system according to the current invention enables todeliver a hard copy to a remote user without a powerful portable digitaldevice.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present invention have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrativeonly, and that although changes may be made in detail, especially inmatters of shape, size and arrangement of parts, as well asimplementation in software, hardware, or a combination of both, thechanges are within the principles of the invention to the full extentindicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which theappended claims are expressed.

1. A method of printing information at a convenient location,comprising: providing a plurality of print stations in a predeterminedarea, the print stations being networked to a print server which storesinformation to be printed; sending a first wireless signal from aportable digital device directly to the print stations in thepredetermined area; determining at least a positional relation betweenthe portable digital device and each of the print stations based uponthe first wireless signal; selecting at least one of the print stationsbased upon the positional relation; sending a selected printer signalfrom the selected print station to the print server; receiving theinformation to be printed at the selected print station; and printingthe information at the selected print station. 2-40. (canceled)
 41. Amethod of printing information at a convenient location, comprising:providing a plurality of print stations in a predetermined area, theprint stations being networked to a print server which storesinformation to be printed; sending a first wireless signal from aportable digital device directly to the print stations in thepredetermined area; selecting at least one of the print stations basedupon a predetermined criterion; sending a selected printer signal fromthe selected print station to the print server; converting theinformation into a format acceptable at the selected print station;receiving the information in the converted format to be printed at theselected print station from the print server; and printing theinformation at the selected print station.
 42. The method of printinginformation at a convenient location according to claim 41 furthercomprising: sending from the print server to the portable digital devicea second wireless signal indicative of the information prior to sendingthe first wireless signal; sending the second wireless signal from theportable digital device to the selected print station prior to saidprinting the information; and receiving the information at the selectedprint station from the print server based upon content of the secondwireless signal after said sending the second wireless signal from theportable digital device to the selected print station and prior to saidprinting the information.
 43. The method of printing information at aconvenient location according to claim 42 wherein the second wirelesssignal is sent to the portable digital device directly from the printerserver.
 44. The method of printing information at a convenient locationaccording to claim 42 wherein the second wireless signal includes apointer to a file where the information is stored.
 45. The method ofprinting information at a convenient location according to claim 42wherein the second wireless signal includes printer requirements forprinting the information is stored.
 46. The method of printinginformation at a convenient location according to claim 42 wherein thesecond wireless signal includes origination information on theinformation.
 47. The method of printing information at a convenientlocation according to claim 42 wherein the second wireless signalincludes a client name for the information to be delivered.
 48. Themethod of printing information at a convenient location according toclaim 42 wherein the second wireless signal includes a brief descriptionof the information to be printed.
 49. The method of printing informationat a convenient location according to claim 41 when more than one printstation is selected: gathering printer information on each of theselected print stations, the printer information including statusinformation and color print information; and further selecting one ofthe print stations based upon the printer information prior to saidprinting the information.
 50. The method of printing information at aconvenient location according to claim 41 wherein the first wirelesssignal is non-directional.
 51. The method of printing information at aconvenient location according to claim 41 wherein the print stations arenetworked to the print server via the Internet.
 52. The method ofprinting information at a convenient location according to claim 41wherein the print stations are networked to the print server via anintranet.
 53. The method of printing information at a convenientlocation according to claim 41 wherein the predetermined area is an areawithin a predetermined building.
 54. The method of printing informationat a convenient location according to claim 41 wherein the predeterminedarea is an area containing a plurality of predetermined buildings. 55.The method of printing information at a convenient location according toclaim 41 wherein the printer server selects at least the one of theprint stations based upon the positional relation.
 56. The method ofprinting information at a convenient location according to claim 41wherein the portable digital device selects at least the one of theprint stations based upon the positional relation.
 57. The method ofprinting information at a convenient location according to claim 41wherein a user selects at least the one of the print stations.
 58. Themethod of printing information at a convenient location according toclaim 41 wherein the positional relation is determined based upon acurrent position of the portable digital device with respect to apredetermined map of the print stations.
 59. The method of printinginformation at a convenient location according to claim 41 furthercomprising an additional step of sending a third wireless signal fromeach of the print stations in response to the first wireless signal andwherein the positional relation is determined at the portable digitaldevice based upon reception strength of the third wireless signal. 60.The method of printing information at a convenient location according toclaim 41 further comprising an additional step of notifying a completionof said printing step to a client.
 61. A system for printing informationat a convenient location, comprising: a print server storing informationto be printed; a plurality of print stations connected to said printserver in a predetermined area; and a portable digital device sending afirst wireless signal directly to each of said print stations in thepredetermined area; wherein said print server determines at least apositional relation between said portable digital device and each ofsaid print stations in response to the first wireless signal, the systemselecting at least one of said print stations based upon at least thepositional relation, said selected print station sending a selectedprint station signal to said print server, in response to the selectedprint station signal, said printer server converting the informationinto a data format acceptable to said selected print station, saidselected print station receiving the information from said print server,and said selected print station printing the received information. 62.The system for printing information at a convenient location accordingto claim 61 wherein said print server sends said portable digital devicea second wireless signal indicative of the information, said portabledigital device sending the first wireless signal in response to thesecond wireless signal.
 63. The system for printing information at aconvenient location according to claim 61 wherein said portable digitaldevice further sending the second wireless signal to the selected printstation prior to printing the information, said selected print stationsubsequently receiving the information from said print sever based uponcontent of the second wireless signal.
 64. The system for printinginformation at a convenient location according to claim 62 wherein saidprinter server is connected to the Internet and the second wirelesssignal is sent to said portable digital device via the Internet.
 65. Thesystem for printing information at a convenient location according toclaim 62 wherein the second wireless signal includes a pointer to a filewhere the information is stored.
 66. The system for printing informationat a convenient location according to claim 62 werein the secondwireless signal includes printer requirements for printing theinformation is stored.
 67. The system for printing information at aconvenient location according to claim 62 wherein the second wirelesssignal includes origination information on the information.
 68. Thesystem for printing information at a convenient location according toclaim 62 wherein the second wireless signal includes a client name forthe information to be delivered.
 69. The system for printing informationat a convenient location according to claim 62 wherein the secondwireless signal includes a brief description of the information to beprinted.
 70. The system for printing information at a convenientlocation according to claim 61 wherein the system gathers printerinformation on each of the selected print stations when more than oneprint station is selected, the printer information including statusinformation and color print information, the system further selectingone of the print stations based upon the printer information prior toprinting the information.
 71. The system for printing information at aconvenient location according to claim 61 wherein the first wirelesssignal is non-directional.
 72. The system for printing information at aconvenient location according to claim 61 wherein said print stationsare networked to said print server via the Internet.
 73. The system forprinting information at a convenient location according to claim 61wherein said print stations are networked to said print server via anintranet.
 74. The system for printing information at a convenientlocation according to claim 61 wherein the predetermined area is an areawithin a predetermined building.
 75. The system for printing informationat a convenient location according to claim 61 wherein the predeterminedarea is an area containing a plurality of predetermined buildings. 76.The system for printing information at a convenient location accordingto claim 61 wherein said print server selects at least the one of theprint stations based upon the positional relation.
 77. The system forprinting information at a convenient location according to claim 61wherein said portable digital device selects at least the one of theprint stations based upon the positional relation.
 78. The system forprinting information at a convenient location according to claim 61further comprising a user display for displaying a plurality of saidprint stations to a user for selecting at least the one of the printstations.
 79. The system for printing information at a convenientlocation according to claim 61 wherein the positional relation isdetermined based upon a current position of said portable digital devicewith respect to a predetermined map of said print stations.
 80. Thesystem for printing information at a convenient location according toclaim 61 wherein each of said print stations sends a third wirelesssignal in response to the first wireless signal, said portable digitaldevice determining the positional relation based upon reception strengthof the third wireless signal at said portable digital device.
 81. Thesystem for printing information at a convenient location according toclaim 61 wherein said printer server notifies a completion of saidprinting step to a client.
 82. A system for printing information at aconvenient location, comprising: a print server storing information tobe printed; a portable digital device having a wireless communicationunit for sending a first wireless non-directional signal in thepredetermined area; and a plurality of print stations each having awireless communication unit for wirelessly communicating directly withsaid portable digital device in a predetermined area, said printstations being networked with said print server; wherein said printserver determining at least a positional relation between said portabledigital device and each of said print stations in response to the firstwireless non-directional signal, said print server selecting one of saidprint stations that is the closest to said portable digital device basedupon the positional relation, said selected print station sending aselected print station signal to said print server, in response to theselected print station signal, said printer server converting theinformation into a data format acceptable to said selected printstation, said selected print station receiving the information from saidprint server, and said selected print station printing the receivedinformation.
 83. The system for printing information at a convenientlocation according to claim 82 wherein said print server is a clientdevice.